Infinity Loop Elegant Dish (Printable view)

Layered salmon and vegetables arranged in a graceful figure-eight with couscous and fresh herbs.

# What You Need:

→ Fish

01 - 2 skinless fresh salmon fillets (about 10.5 oz)
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Vegetables

04 - 1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
05 - 1 medium carrot, thinly sliced
06 - 1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced
07 - 1 cup baby spinach leaves

→ Grains & Legumes

08 - 1/2 cup pearl couscous
09 - 1 cup vegetable broth

→ Dressings & Garnishes

10 - 2 tbsp Greek yogurt
11 - 1 tsp lemon zest
12 - 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
13 - 1 tbsp capers, rinsed and drained
14 - 1 tbsp toasted pine nuts

# How To Make:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F.
02 - Bring vegetable broth to a boil in a small saucepan. Add pearl couscous, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes until tender. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
03 - Blanch zucchini, carrot, and fennel slices in boiling salted water for 1 to 2 minutes until just tender. Drain and shock in ice water to preserve color. Pat dry.
04 - Rub salmon fillets with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and bake on a parchment-lined baking tray for 12 to 15 minutes until just cooked through. Let cool slightly, then break into large, neat flakes.
05 - Combine Greek yogurt, lemon zest, and fresh dill in a small bowl. Set aside.
06 - On a large serving platter, spoon pearl couscous into a figure-eight shape. Arrange blanched vegetable slices and baby spinach alternately along the loop for visual contrast. Nestle salmon flakes into the curves. Dot with capers and the yogurt dressing. Sprinkle toasted pine nuts over the top.
07 - Serve immediately, ensuring each portion reflects the seamless progression of flavors and textures.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks like you spent hours in the kitchen, but comes together in just over an hour—a secret weapon for impressing people without the stress.
  • Each bite is a different flavor and texture experience; the continuous figure-eight guides you through a conversation of tastes rather than a single note.
  • It celebrates what's fresh and seasonal while feeling refined enough for your most important dinner guests.
02 -
  • Don't skip the ice water bath for your vegetables—it's the difference between bright, crisp vegetables and ones that look dull and tired.
  • The salmon continues cooking slightly even after you take it out of the oven, so pull it out when it looks almost done, not when it looks perfectly cooked.
  • Build this dish on the platter you'll serve from; moving it between plates risks losing that careful arrangement that makes it special.
03 -
  • A mandoline slicer is genuinely worth the investment for this dish—those paper-thin vegetable slices are what create the delicate, refined feeling of the final presentation.
  • Toast your own pine nuts right before serving by placing them in a dry pan over medium heat for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. The moment you smell them, they're done—this one step makes them taste infinitely better than pre-toasted versions.
Go Back